Valved head for soot blowers



"Mad-ch 19, 1935. MARE; Er AL 1,995,1 8

VALVED HEAD FOR $001 BLOWERS F le y 20, less 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 19, 1935. c, AREY r AL 1 1,995,198

VALVED HEAD FOR SOOT BLOWERS Filed y 20, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March-19, 1935. F, C AREY ET A 1,995,198

VALVED HEAD FOR SOOT BLOWERS Filed May 20, 1935 5 Sh eegsSheet 4 w 5 mm 5, I M1616. Mal/L7 March 19, 1935. F. c. AREY El AL 1,995,198

VALVED HEAD FOR 500T BLOWERS Filed May 20, 1933 5 SheetsSheet 5 Patented Mar. 19, 1935 1,995,198. VALVED HEAD FOR soo'r nnownns ma c. Any, Oak-Bark, 111., and De. Los' E.

Hibner, In, Dilliois, Pa.,. assignorsto Vulcan Soot-Blower Corporation, a corporation of Pennsylvania,

Application May '20, 1933, Serial No..,671,951

9' Claims. (01. 122-392;

It is commonpractice, in the art of blowing soot from boiler tubes, to provide the tubular blowing or cleaning element with a head contain-- ing a valve to control the admission of the cleaning fluid thereto. Such valves are usually op orated automatically uponthe turn-ingot the blowing or cleaning element to cause the jets of steam or the like to play over aconsiderable space. Where the opening of a valve is depend ent upon a movement of the cleaning element, already initiated, it is difiicult to eiiect a proper opening before the cleaning elementhas turned through a considerable angle and, consequently, in most prior constructions it has been necessary to turn each cleaning element through a con siderable angular distance to secure a complete opening of its controlling valve. Not only is time lost by a delayed opening of the controlling valve but, unless great care is taken, there will he a zone of ineffective soot clearii-ig or blowing; within the space served by each cleaning element.

The object of the present invention is to produce a simple and novel construction that will cause a quick opening of the valve the head of a soot blowing or cleaning element, whereby the steam or other cleaning fluid will be admitted in mar-:imum volume before the element has mademore than a slight movement.

In many instances the operation of soot cleaning elements is manual, the elementbeing turned by chains passing over sheaves or pulleys. One of the objects of the present invention isto pro-- duoe a simple and novel valve-opei'ati ng mechae nism which will cause the valve to open quickly after a pull comes on the chain or the like and to be thereafter unaffected by subsequent movements of the chain or other operating member to bring about the desired adjustments in the position of the cleaning element, until the cleaning element reaches a position in the valve should again be closed.

The various features. of novelty whereby ourinventicn is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of the invention and of its objects and advantages, reierence may be had to the following detailed description taken connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an end view of a head for a'soo-t cleaning element and its operating means, embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section through the head a plane at right angles to the long axis of the cleanin-g element or, approximately, on line 22"of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 i's-a longitudinal vertical section taken approximately on'l-i ne 3-3 of Fig. 1;.F'ig'r'4 is a section on line 4-4 ofl i g. 3; Fig 5 is elevation, illustrating the oppositeside' from: that appearing in Fig. 3 only a. portion of theappa' '5. ratus being shown, and". a fragment eithe -head appearing in. section; Fig. 6' is a section on'l ine 6 -6 of Fig. 3, some parts that would otherwise appear in section being shown in elevation; Fig. 7- is a section, on an enlarged scale, on line 7-? of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig- 4, but on the larger scale of'F'i'g. 7 showing'themovingparts in different positions than in-Fi'g; 4. and the I head proper being omitted; Fig. 9 is a view lar to Fig. 8-, andshowingthe parts in still other 15 positions; Fig. 1 0 is an elevation-of a fragment: of the head, showing a pilot valves/Fig. llIis-a central longitudinal section through-.ithat part of the apparatus shown at right-hand end of Fig. 3 and embodying the step by step turnmg means for the cleaning element; and Fig. section'on line I212'0i'Fig'.11-. I 1 Referring to the drawings; 1 represents a helllow head to the lower end of which at tached a steam pipe or conduit, not shown. Rotatably mounted in the upper end of the head is a tubular member 2 which will be: referred to as the cleaning element, although. usually'it win: be a part arranged end to: end with and fixed to the cleaning element proper. The inner open end of the cleaning element communicates with the chamberA in the interior of the head through a'stationary sleeve or bushing 4' fixed in the wall of the head adjacent tosaid' end of the: cleaning element. communication between the. cleaning element and the interior of the head is shut off by a disklike valve 5 fitting againstthe fiat end face of the: bushing or sleeve 4:. This valve is conectedl to and'carriedby a piston 61 coaxial with the clean-: 4o ing element and movable from and toward the latter in'a cylinder 7. Any suiltable'oonnection may beemployed between the piston and the valve, as long as it will-permitthe valve to ade' j ust itself to its seat] under the pressure. of steam: 45 or otherfluid within the headpand 'willt' cause the valve to move away from its. seat as the piston recedes into its cylinder. In. thearrangement shown, the valve has a short central stem 8, provided at its free end with ahead 9 The 50 stem 8 is movable into and out of a vertical slot 10 opening out through the top of a boss lll'onthe forward end of the piston. Behind or-i rrwardly from the slot 10 is a wider pocket 12" which also opens out through the top of the boss; this 55.

Normally, when the cleaner is idle,

cation between the interior of the head and the cleaning element.

When the fluid pressure on opposite'sides of the piston is equal, the spring is effective to hold the valve closed. However, when the interior" of the cylinder 7 is connectedjto atmosphere.

and steam or other fluid under pressure is admitted into the head, the pressiu'e on the valve end of the piston will overcome the spring and cause the piston to be forced back into its cyl inder and the valve to be unseated. In accordance with the present invention, the interior of the cylinder, behind the piston, remains in communication with the interior of the head at times when the valve is to remain closed and is opened to atmosphere ,atand duringv the'times the valve is to remainopen. As best shown in Fig. 3 the cylinder is provided with a lining s1eeve14 having two ports 15 and 16 extending through the same and opening into a chamber 17 in the wall of the head. The port 16 is a I small one closeto the rear: end of the cylinder,

whereas the port 15 islarger and is located not far from the inner end of the piston when the latter is in its valve-closing position. Assuming that the cylinder is filled with steam and that the chamber 17 is connected to atmosphere and, also, that the interior of the head is filled with,

steam under pressure: It will be seen that the pressure of the steam in the head will force the piston back, causing the steam in --the cy1- inder to escape through the ports 15 and 16. Be-

fore the piston has gone very far, the port 15 will be closed, so that further escape or steam from the'cylindercan onlytake place through, .the port 16 which is comparatively small. The

result is that the piston moves back rapidly in order to produce a complete opening of the Va1V8, 3,I1d1-th8n. slows down to avoid striking a hammer blow against the rear piston head.

.vThe parts heretofore -described, with the exception of the dash pot control of the piston, are

substantiallythe same as those disclosed-in the application of. Fred C. Arey, Serial No. 604,382, filed April 11, 1932; and the admission of steam to and its exhaust from the, chamber 17 and the cylinder is controlledby a pilot valve asin the aforesaid application.

The pilot valve embodies a little piston 20 slidable within .a cylinder =211-thatmay conveniently be in the form of a thimble fixed in a wall of the head. The piston has a stem 22 that extends out through one end of the cylinder. One end of the pilot Valve cylinder is connected to the interior A of the head through a port 23, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 7; whereas the other end of this cylinder is connected to atmosphere through a port: :24 leading from a small cylindrical chamber-25 opening out of that end of the cylinder. At the juncture of the cylinder 21 and chamber 25 is a valve seat 26 adapted to cooperate with avalve face 27 on the piston 20. Wheneverthere is steam in the head; it enters behind the piston" 20 o-f the.

pilot valve device and, if the piston is free to permit it to do so; movesthe piston intothe position shown in Figs. 4, and 7, so that the valve elements 26 and 27 cooperate with each other to shut off the cylinder 21 from the at-' ing in the stem ofv the pilot valve.

mosphere. In order that the chamber 17 and the main valve cylinder 7 may be connected either to the interior of the head or to atmosphere, through the pilot valve device, the chamber 17 is connected with a chamber 28 beside the pilot valve cylinder 21, by a pipe 29. The chamber 28 is in turn connected to the interior of the cylinder 2 1;by a port 30 so placed that, when the piston 20 is at one end of its stroke, the port 30 lies on one side thereof whereas, when this piston is at the other end ,of; its stroke, theyport 30 lies on the opposite side thereof. In other words, when the pilot valve-piston is at the left hand of its stroke, as viewedFigse'," 7; 8and 9, closing on communication'with atmosphere, the main cylinder 7 is in communication with the interior of the head and the main valveis held closed. This is the condition illustrated in Figs. 4 and '7.

When the stem of the pilot valve device is pushed in, bringing the piston 20 into the righthand end of the cylinder 21, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the main cylinder 7 is connected to atmosphere so that the steam exhausts from the main cylinder andpermits the piston thereinto be pushed back against the resistance of the spring. 13.

It will thus be seen that the pressure in the system tendsconstantly to move the pilot valve into aposition that will cause the main valve to be closed, so that provision need only be made to push the stem of the pilot valve device in in order to bring aboutboth closing and opening movements of the main valve.

In the arrangement shown, the cleaning element is adapted to be turned by pulling on a chain 32 passing over a sheave or pulley 33lfixed to a shaft 34 extending parallel with the cleaning element just above the pilot valve device. This shaft is utilized to operate the pilot valve during the first part of an operating movement of the sheave or pulley. This is accomplished by a small eccentric 35 fixedupon the shaft 34, the eccentric acting on a suitable element for push- This element may conveniently consist of asleeve 36 surrounding and rotatable on a short stub shaft 37 pro jecting from the side of the head near and parallel with the shaft 34; the sleeve having thereon indog or arm 38 in position to engage with the .1

outer end of the valve stem 22 and having also a second radial arm 39 in the plane of the eccentric. The parts are so proportioned that, when the shaft 34. is turned, the eccentric will engage with the arm 39 and cause the sleeve 36 to rock in the proper direction and through the necessary angular distance to push the stem of the pilot I valve inwardly from its normal position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7. to the position illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. When this has been done the main valve automatically opens, as heretofore explained. Furthermore, if the rocking valve actuator be locked'in the position into which it hasbeen-move'd by the eccentric, the shaft 34 may be turned in either direction and through any desired number of revolutions, at will, without further affecting the pilot valve. We have provided means for locking the pilot'valve actuator in its working position, which means are under the control of the cleaning element so as to trip or release the pilot valve actuator after the cleaning element has completed a'predetermined movement or set of movements.

Mounted on the head above and parallel to the shaft 34 is a long stationary shaft 41 which may be one of the bolts connecting the head and a casing 40' that contains the ratchet drive for turning thecleaning element, as will hereinafter be described. Surrounding the shaft 4l, as bestshown in Fig. 6, is a spacing sleeve' 4-2 extending between a surface omthe head and an opposite surface on the casing for the ratchet mechanism. Surrounding and rotatable on the sleeve 42 are two additional sleeves, 43 and 44, placedend-to end and being independently rotatable on the sleeve 42. The sleeve 43 is short and lies just over the eccentric 35. The sleeve '44 is compara-- tively long and has thereon, surrounding its endremote from the sleeve 43,-a torsion spring "45, one end of which is fixedthereto, as indicated at 46, whereas the other end is fixed to the casing or housing 40, as indicated at 47. At themeeting ends of the sleeve 43 and: 44: areannularfianges or collars 48 and 49', respectively 'I l-ie collar 48 ahas projecting therefrom a radial arm50 pro-- vi'ded at its free end with a'lateially-projecting lip 51 which. overlies the'arm 39of-the pilot valveactuator. The arm 3'9 has at the top an upwardly-projecting. lug 52 located at' the outer or rear end. When thepilot valveactuatoris swung into the position to holdthe valve stem in, thelip 51 may drop in front of the lug-52, as'shown in Figs. 8 and 9;. thus locking the actuator against a return movement until the lip is again lifted clear of the lug. The locking ofthe pilot valve in'. the position illustrated in Fig. 8- is accomplished automatically upon the shifting of-the' valve into-that position. The release of the pilot valve, so as to permit steain pre'ssureto -return it to the position illustrated in Fig. 4, is controlled .by the cleaning element. On the sleeve 44, remote from the'flanged end,- is an arm 53 projecting radially past the tubular cleaning element The arm- 53- is shown as having at its free end-a laterally-projecting flange or lip 54. Fixed on the tubular cleaning element is a-collari55 located so as to'contact with the lip or flange 54. on the collar is a cam projection 56; It will thus be seenthat, through the action of the cam lug 56 on the flangeorlip 54, a turning movement of the sleeve 44: may be effected. This turning movement is utilized to trip the catch or latch that locksthe pilot valve. 'I 'o this end there is pivoted tothe collar '49 on the sleeve a dog 5'7 in the form of a flat plate, having its periphery properly shaped. This-dog'has-anose- 58 which, in one angular position of the sleeve-43 relatively to the sleeve44 drops-behind a radial shoulder 59 in the under edge of the collar 48." At other times this. nose simply rides uponthe periphery or edge of the collar 48. 'A tension spring 60: extends between the free end of the flange or lip 54 resting against thecam-lug 56; on

the cleaning element. Upon pulling the chain, the first thing that occurs is that the stem of the pilot valve is pushed in, as shown in Fig. 8,

permitting the. steam behind the piston for the main valve to exhaust and the main valve to open As the pilot valve is being shifted, the nose 52 on the actuator travels along underneath the lip or flange 51 on the latch device", until? it beyond the end of the same; Thereupon the:

spring 60 acts to draw the latch device quickly down into the latching position illustrated in 8. A continued pull on: theol'iainyas willhereinafter be explained, causes the cleaningele'mentto turn in the clockwise direction as viewed'in Fig. 8. When this occurs, the torsion spring '45 on' the sleev'e'44 turns this sleeve in-a counter-clockwise direction, keeping the flan e-or lip 54 in contactwiththe: collar 55, as" illustrated in'Fig. 10. This angular movement of 'the sleeve 44 is'sufficienttocarry the dog 57 around tothe point where the nose thereofdropsbehind' the shoulder-59' on the latch device; asillustratedin Fig. 9. The-parts remain in thepos'itions just shoulder59, to swing the latch the clockwise direction and lift it clear of the lug 52 on the valve actuator. There being now no longer anything to hold the" valve actuator, the. pressure of'the steam behind the piston-oi the pilot'valve forces. the piston toward the left, shutting ofii communication between the main: valve cylinder and atmosphere 'an-d admitting steam under pres-- sure to that cylinder so as to cause the main valve'to close. The dog '57 must be moved out from behind the shoulder 59' in order to return theparts tothe positions illustrated in Fig.4 and thus make them rea dyfor a repetition of the cycle of operations just described. To this end, there is mounted on the arm 39 of the valve actuator a pin 61. that projects from the side thereof across the upper edge'of the dog 57. 1 The-parts are soapro-po-rtioned that, after thelatchhasbeen raised so as to release the valve actuator, the swinging of the valve actuator in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, through the action of the pilot valve, causes the pin 61 to strike the upperedge of the, dog near the free endof the latter and force the dog out of the notch in the collar 48=andclear of the shoulder '59 forming one side of thenotch. Thereupon the spring 60 acts todraw the latch arm 50 down-until the lip orflange thereon rests on the lug 52 and the nose of the dog rests on the periphery of an unmutilated part of the collar 48.

- The tubular'cleanin'g element mayibe driven in any suitable way from the shaft 34. We prefer step by step andthat,after the element has been turnedthrough apredetermined angle, it can be brought back again step by step. The driving mechanism between the shaft 34 and the cleaning that the movements of the cleaning element be element that we haveillustrated is that disclosed,

in the Fred C. Areyapplication, Serial No. 640,373,

filed October 31, 1-932,'-'and is shown insufficient detail in Figs; 11 and 12, hereimfor the purposes of the present'inventio n. 7

Referring toFigs. 1 1 and 12, it will be seen that thereis'fixed to the cleaning element, within the casing or housing 40, a toothed wheel 70. Loosely supported on the cleaning element beside the wheelis a rocking member 71."

Pivot'ed tothe member 71, asindicated'at 72, is a'double-ended' balanced pawl having two pawl wand '74,

respectively. 'I'he pawl is provided with a wide, comparatively deep groove or channel '75 extending ,across'the same midway'between thepawl arms. Inthis groove or channel lies a roller '76, on-the end of acrank pin 77 carried, by a crank arm '78 on the end. of the shaft 34. As will be seen from Fig; .11, the axes of the pivot pin '72 and the shaft 34 are-displaced a short distance from each other, this distance being-somewhat lessthant-he radius of the crank. With this arrangement, as. explained in the aforesaid application, 640,373, as long as the shaft 34 is turned in onedirection, one of the pawl arms is effective to drivethe toothed wheel step by step in the same direction; and, when the direction of rotation of the shaft 34 is reversed, the other pawl becomes effective to drive. the toothed wheel step by stepin the reverse direction. The toothed wheel has thereon a block'79. which-may beadjustedinto any one of numerous positions angularlyof the wheel; this block being adapted to strike against a stationary stop 80 to limit the turning movements of the wheel. By providing two'of these blocks, not only will the cleaning element be ,permittedto oscillate back and forth through any desired predetermined angle, but the starting and finishing points for a complete cycle will always be such that the cam lug 56 will be in the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 8. The pawl-carrying member '71 is provided with a suitable brake that will afford suflicient resistance to turning movements of this member to permit the, pawl device. to be swung into tooth-engaging position before the rockingi pawl carrier begins to move. In the arrangement shown, the brake consists of a pair of brakelshoes 81 and 82 engaged with the. hub portion of the member '71 and carried on lever arms 83 and 84, respectively; each-of these arms beingfulcrumed at one end on a stationary lug or post, as indicated at 85 and 8.6; andztherebeinga tension spring 87 between the. otherends of thearmsv It will thus be seen that: we, have produced a simple and novel means for causing a valve to open quickly, simultaneouslywith thebeginning of a tiuningmovement of a soot cleaning element and to remain open until the completion of predetermined angular movements of the cleaning element, whereupon the valve automatically closes and the mechanism is restored to a condition toperz'nit the cycle of operations to be repeated whenever desired. It will also be seen that ourimproved valve-operating means is not limited to a construction and arrangement in which a: manually operatedmember performs no other function than to initiate a cycle of operations; since the manual contro1ler,'in the form of a sheave or other element, maybe manipulated to move the cleaning element and thus serve the double purpose ofa controller for causing thesemen-t. I

valve to open and of an actuator for the cleaning While we hav'e illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of our invention, we do not'desire to be limited to the exact structural 'detailsthus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangementswhich come within the'definitions of the invention constituting the appended claims.

1.The comb ation with a movable soot cleaning'element, of a valve to admit cleaning fluid theretoja two position controller to cause said valveto close when the'controller is in one of its positions and to open when the controller is in the second position, an actuator for said cleaning element to give it apredetermined movement, means including af'catch associated with said actuator to move said-controllerv into its said second position before'the cleaning element has made more than a slight movement, and means actuated by said cleaning element to trip the catch and cause the shifting of thecontroller into the first of its saidpositions.

2. The combination with a movable soot cleaning element, of a valve to admit cleaning fluid thereto, a two-position controller to cause said valve to-close when the controller is in one of its positions and to, open when the .valve is in the second position, said controller being movable automatically into the first of its said positions, an actuator forgiving to the cleaning element a predetermined movement, means associated with the actuator to move said controller into its second positionbefore the cleaning element has made morethan a slight movement, a catch device to lock the controller in said second position and means controlled by the cleaning element to trip the catch and unlock the controller when the cleaning element'has completed said predeter-' mined movement.

3; The combination with a movable soot clean-. ing element, of a main pressure-responsive valve to admit cleaning fluid thereto, a two position pilot valve to control the operation of the main valve movable automatically into one of its positions, an actuator for moving said cleaning element, means associated with said actuator tomove the pilot valve into the second of its positions when the cleaning element is set 'in'motion,

- a catch device to lock the pilot valve in said second position and means controlled by the cleaning element thereafter to trip the catch and unlock the pilot valve after thecleaning element has completed a predetermined movement.

4. The combination with a movable sootcleaning element, of a normally closedvalve to, admit cleaning fluid thereto, means to move said cleaning element step by step through a predetermined series of steps, an actuator for said means, and means controlled by said actuator to cause said valve to open at the beginning of the first step in the movement .of said cleaning element and controlled by said element to cause the valve to close again when said element has completed said series of steps; I

5. In a soot cleaning apparatus, a' hollow: head, a-tubular cleaning element connected to the head,

a valve controlling admission of cleaning fiuid from the head to the cleaning element, a cylinder opening out of the head, a piston in the cylinder connected to the valve and exposed on one side to the, pressure-within the head, a spring acting on the piston in the direction to close the valve, and there being portsileading into the cylinder to admit fiuid thereto and permit it to be exhausted therefrom, said ports being distributed lengthwise of the cylinder in such positions and of such a size that as the piston moves back to open the valve a large exhaust-port area is provided until the valve is fully open and then such area is greatly restricted to slow down the movement of the piston. 1

6. The combination with a movable soot cleaning element, of a valve. for admitting cleaning fiuid thereto, a valve controller, an actuator for said controller, means including a'rotary driving member to move said cleaning element, an eccentric on said rotary member in position to engage and move said actuator, a catch for locking said controller and controlling means for said catch associated with the cleaning element.

'7. In a soot cleaning apparatus, a hollow head, a tubular cleaning element connected to the head, a valve controlling admission of cleaning fluid from the head to the cleaning element, a cylinder opening out of the head, a piston in the cylinder connected to the valve and exposed on one side to the pressure within the head, a spring acting on the piston in the direction to close the valve, and there being ports leading into the cylinder to admit fluid thereto and permit it to be exhausted therefrom, said ports being distributed lengthwise of the cylinder in such positions that as the piston moves back to open the valve a large exhaust-port area is provided until the valve is fully open and then such area is restricted to slow down the movement of the piston.

8. The combination with a movable soot cleaning element, of a valve for admitting cleaning fluid thereto, a valve controller, an actuator for said controller, means including a rotary driving member to move said cleaning element, an eccentric on said driving member in position to engage said actuator, a catch for holding said actuator in the position into which it is moved 7 by the eccentric, a catch tripping device, and a part movable with said cleaning element adapted to engage with said catch tripping device.

9. The combination with a movable soot cleanthan that required to cause the cleaning element I to move through one step, and means movable with said cleaning element to unlock the con- 2 troller of the cleaning element.

FRED C. AREY. DE LOS E. HIBNER, JR. 

